Dragon in the Dark
by Jemppy
Summary: VC Andrews inspired fic. Malfoy never returns to Hogwarts after fifth year. Harry and his group should be happy, but he still doesn't return sixth year either...New chapter! *Porcelain*
1. Good Bye Light

A/N: Okay, this is my first Harry Potter fic, It will be about Harry and Draco. If it will be slash, it depends on if reviewers want it and if it can be written. But I hope you like this fic....  
  
Disclaimers: Harry Potter and all of its characters are the property of JK Rowling and the idea of some of the plot goes to VC Andrews' 'Flowers in the Attic'  
  
Summary: When Malfoy doesn't return fifth year, Harry, Hermoine, and Ron should be glad right? But when he also doesn't return sixth year, they begin to wonder. Did the spoiled rich boy finally transfer to another school of witchcraft and wizardry? Or is there something else?  
  
  
Prologue: Goodbye Light  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Do not worry, it will only be for a short time."  
  
"But why? I don't understand."  
  
"Sssh, honey, do not speak loud while up here, we do not want anyone else to know that you are up here. Especially your father. Only the House Elves will know."  
  
"Mom?"  
  
"Draco, honey, please be quiet. I'll be back up here later after your father leaves."  
  
"Damn it! Mom, tell me what the hell is going on??!"  
  
"Draco! Do not use such foul, Mudblood language. It is unbecoming. And as I said before, keep your voice down! Do not run around so that the floor shakes, do not speak loudly so that you can hear it downstairs, do not try and leave until I let you out, and most importantly, do not try and use magic!"  
  
"Mom?"  
  
"Yes dear?"  
  
"What about school? Hogwarts?"  
  
"I told you before, you will not be up here the entire summer, not even a couple weeks. You will be out in a couple days."  
  
"Mom, can you tell me why?"  
  
"Mom?"  
  
"Draco, now is not the time. I have to leave you now, you father will be wanting me to join him for dinner."  
  
"Mom, please."  
  
"Draco..."  
  
"At least leave the windows open or some light...."  
  
"Honey, you know I can't do that. We don't want your father to know that you are up here. Now you have a bed and your school books. Why don't you study some before some House Elves bring up your dinner?  
  
"How can I, there is no light."  
  
"Fine, then act like a spoiled brat! Just stay quiet!"  
  
"Mom, wait! Don't go!"  
  
"Mom?"  
  
"Mom?!"  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: Please don't make me beg for reviews.... 


	2. A Couple of Days isn’t Forever

A/N: Here is part 2. I hope you like how the story is going. The POV is always going to be a dual like this. Alternating between Harry and Draco. But please review!! Please!  
  
Disclaimers: I own nothing. The characters are JK Rowling and the Attic is VC Andrew's I own only the books that I bought, that and a evil cat. She scratches me. It hurts.  
  
A Couple of Days isn't Forever  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Harry Potter started at the calendar that was tacked up next to his bed. Only a couple more days until his birthday. On that day, the Weasleys were going to be picking him up bright and early and taking him back to the Burrow to celebrate his birthday. He would then stay with them the rest of the summer. They had called the Durselys a week ago.  
  
At least Mrs. Weasley knew not to scream into the phone.  
  
Vernon Dursley wasn't happy about the call, (and wasn't happy meaning that Harry got a cuff on the head for the call) but it got Harry out of their hair and if anyone asked, he was just returning to St. Brutus.   
  
But it seemed to take forever for his sixteenth birthday to roll around. He couldn't wait to see Ron and Hermione again.  
  
Harry would be starting sixth year soon and that meant that he would be returning to the Dursleys for one more summer. He had been considering his options for post-Hogwarts, Auror being his top choice. But maybe working for the Ministry of Magic.   
  
Maybe there he could get around to convicting some Death Eaters. Like Lucius Malfoy.  
  
But strangely, Lucius Malfoy had been pretty silent over the last year. And with Lucius being quiet, the same went for Malfoy.  
  
Harry lay back on his small bed and stretched his gangly body. He stared at the ceiling and thought about last year, fifth year. He had gone back depressed about Cedric's death and Voldemort's return. He had been preparing himself for the eventual confrontation between him and Malfoy.   
  
But it never came.  
  
Malfoy never boarded the Hogwarts Express that day. Nor did he come to the Sorting or the Feast. He wasn't there the next morning at breakfast throwing glares at Harry, Ron, or Hermione. Or during Potions.  
  
Malfoy never came back that year. And for Harry, it was a relatively quiet year, as quiet as it could be with Hermione breathing down his neck about O.W.L.S. But in the end Harry did well.  
  
Now Harry was hoping for another calm year. He knew it wasn't good to ignore Voldemort, but he hadn't made any recent movements, so Harry tried to only focus on passing school.  
  
He rolled over on his side and squinted in the dark at the digital numbers on one of Dudly's old clocks. It was near midnight and Harry wasn't feeling sleepy. True it had been a quiet year, but that didn't stop him from having nightmares of Cedric's death. Once over fifth year, he had felt a pain in his scar. But nothing had come from it.  
  
Tiredness snuck up on him, unexpectedly. His eyes began to droop and his thoughts slowed. He let out a yawn and had one more thought before he fell asleep.  
  
*I'll be at Ron's in a couple days. A couple days isn't forever....*  
  
  
"Now, Draco, a couple of days isn't forever."  
  
Draco stared listlessly at his mother, as she fussed about the small room. He sat on the high, moth-eaten bed, staring at his feet. He swung them back and forth, noting idly that they still didn't reach the floor.  
  
He hadn't grown much over the past year.   
  
He brought his eyes back up to his mother. She looked so full of life, her checks flushed as if she had been busy outside. Probably having fun. Each day it seemed like she was growing more alive.  
  
Even as it seemed, to Draco, as he faded.  
  
"Honey, do not look at me like that." She turned and gave Draco a pouting look. Her lips down turned she asked, "What? What is it?"  
  
"Mom," Draco spoke, his voice hoarse from underuse, "You said that I would only be here a couple of days. Its been a year."  
  
Narcissa tilted her head and stared at her son as if he had suddenly ruined all of her fun. Draco bent his head, suddenly feeling bad about the look of sadness on her face. "Honey, has it been a year?"  
  
All the guilt went away at that comment. * Has it been a year???* He glared at her with tired gray eyes. "Yes mom, it has been a year. Each day you come up here, I tell you. I've missed fifth year mom, I missed the O.W.L.S. I missed out on my chance to be a Perfect. I missed everything!" He threw his hands up in the air to emphasize his point.  
  
His mother stared at him in disapproval. "Draco, you can not be let down yet, I've told you that!"  
  
Draco stared at his mother who looked as if she had spent every moment in the sunshine, while he had not seen it for a year. "Yes, you have told me that, but you have not told me why!"  
  
Narcissa looked at Draco and sighed, and sat elegantly in one of the chairs that occupied the small room. She made the simple movement look regal and beautiful, all the while making Draco feel even more grimy and dusty than before. She looked at him through the same light colored eyes surrounded by dark lashes. The same pale hair, though because of lack of sunlight, Draco's was paler.   
  
"Honey, we can not allow your father to know that you are up here."  
  
"But why?!"  
  
"Draco...."  
  
"Mom!"  
  
"Honey, I will tell you when the time is right."  
  
"Mom, when you lock your son up in an attic for a year, I think he deserves a reason of why he is in there!"  
  
Narcissa stood quickly and head for the door. Just like she always did when he questioned her reasoning (or lack thereof) as to why he was in the attic's confinement. With a swish of her expensive skirts, she was at the door to the room before Draco had a chance to blink. She stopped just at the door frame, the door slightly ajar. Draco tried in vain to peer past her and into the brightly lit hallway.  
  
"Mom, please.." He let his voice fade off.  
  
She gave him a sad look and sighed softly. "Draco..."  
  
"Just a reason."  
  
She gave him one shrewd look, "You father doesn't even know that you are still alive." And with that she slipped out of the room. Draco heard the click of the lock and he knew that he was locked again the dark room. No light even flickered in from underneath the door crack.  
  
He was alone.  
  
Again. 


	3. Minutes like Hours

A/N: Sorry for the long wait, but I thank you all for the reviews and emails. It makes me happy that my first fic is doin' okay. Well I hope you continue to enjoy it and I apologize for any misspellings, I didn't have any of my HP books with me.  
  
Disclaimers: The name of the chapter is also a name of a chapter in Flowers in the Attic. I don't own that and I don't own Harry Potter. But I DO own an evil cat. And if anybody wants her they can have her.  
  
  
  
Minutes like Hours  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Bloody hell Harry!" Ron exclaimed as soon as they arrived at the Burrow. As soon as they had stepped out of the Floo Network, he had dragged Harry immediately up to his room. Ron was still reeling from his few minute with the Dursleys.  
  
"I know, I know." Harry sighed as he dropped on to Ron's bed. "And that wasn't the worst you had ever seen. It was amazing that they even opened up their fireplace for you guys. Remember what happened last time you guys traveled that way?"  
  
Ron nodded and collapsed next to him on the bed. "Is your Uncle like that ALL the time to you?"  
  
Harry stared at Ron's ceiling and sighed again, "Yeah. That is his usual behavior. It was worse when I use to live in cupboard under the stairs."  
  
Ron shook his head. "How can people be cruel to their own kids?"  
  
"I'm not their kid." Harry pointed out.  
  
"So? You are under his care right" Ron turned and met Harry's eyes, "Muggles are so strange."  
  
"Well," Harry began, "Aren't there wizarding families that are cruel to their kids?"  
  
Ron looked thoughtful at the concept. "Well I don't think anyone in Gryffindor has bad families."  
  
"Hufflepuffs don't strike me as people from un-loving homes." Harry conceded.  
  
"Ravenclaw?" Ron asked as Harry shrugged.  
  
They both looked at each other and spoke at the same time, which was okay because they both said the same thing.  
  
"Slytherin."  
  
Ron pulled himself up into a sitting position and looked down a Harry. "You think? Can wizards abuse their kids?"  
  
Harry nodded, "I'm sure a wizard can hurt their kids just as much as any muggle could. I know that. Slytherins seem like some could come from those type of families."  
  
"You mean like Malfoy?"  
  
Harry shrugged. "I don't know, maybe."  
  
"Are you serious?" Ron asked as Harry pulled himself up. "That bloody git? You think Mister Daddy-Loves-ME-So-Much-I-Get-Everything-On-a-Silver-Platter would come from a bad family? I mean I'm sure the entire lot is dark wizards therefore they WOULD be considered a bad family but not in the sense that they are BAD and stuff but they wouldn't be BAD, bad---"  
  
"Ron, you're babbling."  
  
"Thanks for stopping me."  
  
"No problem."  
  
"Can you hear that?"  
  
"Hear what?"  
  
"I think that it is my mom yelling...."  
  
"RON, HARRY COME DOWN HERE!!!!!"  
  
"Yeah that is your mom."  
  
Ron and Harry stood up from the bed and made their way down to the kitchen where Mrs. Weasley was waiting for them. Harry noticed an odd look in her eyes as he took a seat at the kitchen table. Apparently Ron noticed it too.  
  
"Mom? Are you okay?" Ron asked joining Harry at the table.  
  
Mrs. Weasley busied herself with a plate of food and didn't met the boys' eyes. "Why yes, Ron. Everything is fine. Everything fine."  
  
Ron gave Harry a confused look and shrugged. "Then what did you want us down here for? And where are the twins? We haven't heard from them since before we left to get Harry."  
  
Harry saw the pained look that flashed across Mrs. Weasley's face. And he knew that she was remembering what had happened when her and Ron had gone to pick him up. Ron and Mrs. Weasley had told Vernon Dursley that they were going to use the Floo Network and pick up Harry at 11:00 AM on Harry's birthday. What they didn't expect to see when arriving, was Harry and the great giant brute of Uncle Vernon in the middle of a fight. Harry had been pacing watching as the minutes seemed to pass like hours, waiting for the Weasleys when he accidentally knock over one of Aunt Petunia's favorite vases. (she had like 20 of them but that didn't matter) Vernon, whose nerves were already drawn as tight as they could have been, snapped at Harry's mistake and had his mind set on giving Harry a beating that he would never forget.  
  
Ron and his mother arrived soon after Vernon had begun to strike Harry, much to Harry's luck. The two were shocked at the display and pulled Harry away from his uncle and into the Floo Network as fast as they could. On an afterthought, Mrs. Weasley pulled in Harry's trunk of school supplies and Hedwig's cage.  
  
Amazingly Harry wasn't hurt all that bad. He had a few darkening bruises on his shoulders and upper arms, but that wasn't anything a few healing charms couldn't fix. He had had worse beatings from Quidditch. But that didn't change the fact that Vernon had abused him. For some reason, Mrs. Weasley and Ron had been making a bigger deal out of it than Harry had.  
  
But he guessed that when you had been locked in a cupboard under the stairs for the first eleven years of your life, a little beating doesn't strike you as a big thing.  
  
"Mom?" Ron's voice broke in through Harry's thoughts, "Are you sure you are okay? You're acting funny."  
  
Mrs. Weasley spun around and looked at Ron and Harry. "I-oh----" she started but then her eyes brighten as she noticed something at the door to the kitchen.  
  
It was then Harry noticed voices coming from the other room. Among the voices Harry recognized a familiar Irish accent.  
  
"Seamus?" Harry asked, looking at Ron. They both exchanged looks and jumped up and ran into the adjoining room.  
  
"SURPRISE!!" a group of voices chorused.  
  
Harry looked around the room in surprised. Seamus Finnigan, Hermione Granger, Fred and George Weasley, Dean Thomas, Neville Longbottom, Lavender Brown, and Parvati Patil stood in a party decorated room.  
  
"Happy birthday!" Hermione came up and embraced Harry in a great hug. Harry was in shock that the entire (soon to be) sixth year Gryffindors arrived for his birthday. From the look of it, Ron hadn't been let in on the knowledge of the surprise party. His face had gone pale which made his freckles stand out.  
  
"Speech! Speech!" the Gryffindors began to chant as they circled Harry, all grinning from ear to ear.  
  
Harry looked at each of them in turned and struggled to speak, "Gee, um, I don't know what to say..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Draco felt incredibly stupid as he stood in front of the mirror that hung on one of the walls of the attic. He was measuring himself to see how tall he had grown over the year. He took a step back to examine where he now stood.   
  
He frowned in disappointment. The line of where his head now stood hadn't have moved sine when he was first put into the attic. Which means he wasn't much taller than a pre-teen. He hadn't have received his growth spurt yet, (unlike Harry who had of course received his early in fourth year, therefore he was growing taller each day. Well at least, maybe he was growing each day, Draco had not seen him in over a year)   
  
Draco stared at his reflection in disgust. Once upon a time, Draco used to think he was incredibly attractive for a eleven, twelve, thirteen and fourteen year old. But now he could barely look at himself without feeling the urge to throw up.  
  
His hair had once been the perfect shade of pale blond, and his eyes a light gray. Now the blond had turned faded and brittle. It had lost any pigmentation it had originally had. The same had happened to his eyes. They looked washed out and tired.  
  
And he hadn't grown.  
  
Why?  
  
Draco suspected that it was because of a lack of sunlight. That was all he was focused on now. Everything that went wrong with him up in the attic, was because of the lack of sunlight. The sunlight seemed to be having a positive effect on his mother. She came up once a week o check on him and bring him things like spell books and sometimes candies.   
  
But he only seemed to notice her livelihood. They way that her once pale face began to take on color and her eyes grew brighter each day.  
  
House Elves brought him up three meals a day. They would sneak in quietly enough that Draco never seemed to notice when they would come, even when he waited to see them. And the House Elves would return to pick up almost full plates.   
  
Draco had begun to eat less and less.  
  
Maybe that could be a reason why he wasn't growing.  
  
Here he was a sixteen year old that was the size of a thirteen year old.  
  
He walked away from the mirror and over to his bed to where his spell books lay. Picking up the top one, he flopped down on the large bed. He suspected that his eyes were growing worse because of his constant squinting in an attempt to study. He could only study during the day when the dark room seemed to lighten a bit.  
  
Laying back on the bed, he glance around the room. His prison. It was a fairly large room, but the furniture in it made it look smaller than it really was. There was old Malfoy junk that was no longer needed in the Manor. The moth eaten bed took up the most room and the old wardrobe took up the other side of the room. Boxes and trunks where the other pieces that littered the room.  
  
But it was hard to see all of this.  
  
It was too dark.  
  
Once earlier in his confinement, Draco had tripped in the dark over something and broke his arm. He had laid in agony until his mother had come to check on him a few days later. The hours had dragged on like months waiting for her to find him.  
  
He still didn't understand why his father wouldn't even know that he was still alive. Nothing made sense. His mother had never acted like this before. His father had made sure she stayed in her place. Also, his father was very proud of his heir, why would he not know he was even alive anymore?   
  
Nothing made sense!  
  
Draco jumped up off the bed to return in front of the mirror. He suddenly had this urge to check and see if he was still there. To make sure he hadn't faded. He stood directly in front of the mirror, cupping his elbows for warmth.  
  
He was still there, he wasn't gone yet.  
  
The mirror clucked at him and chided, "You need to get out more dear." 


	4. Dark Days, Lighter Mornings

A/N: Here is the next part but you probably don't care what I have to say so just please read on and review....please? I would really be happy if you leave some reviews!  
  
Disclaimers: Attic goes to VC Andrews and Harry and the gang go to JK Rowling. BUT I own the crappy song that Narcissa sings. Please when reading it, keep your laughter at a minimum. I know it is bad but be kind......  
  
  
Dark Days, Lighter Mornings  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Harry was awoken by a stream of light hitting his eyes. *Damn all this sunlight* he thought to himself as he sat upright. *What is that muggle word? Photosynthesis. Well with all this damn light, I should be photosynthesizing like crazy* He looked around Ron's seeming overcrowded room.  
  
Until the start of term, Seamus, Dean, and Hermione were all staying with the Weasleys. The household was usually smaller now that Percy and the twins no longer lived with their parents. (even though the twins were constantly back at home) Mrs. Weasley must be enjoying having a bunch of kids back in her home.   
  
Harry got to his feet and creeped over Seamus to the door. He sneaked his way down to the kitchen but drew to a halt when he heard Mrs. and Mr. Weasley talking in hushed tones. He heard distinctly Mr. Weasley say "Malfoy." Harry knelt and listened in.  
  
"Are you sure Arthur?"  
  
"Positive Molly. I want the Ministry to check out the Malfoy Manor. Lucius has been TOO quiet and these rumors are disconcerting."  
  
"But it wouldn't make any sense for him to kill his own heir."  
  
"I know, but Dumbledore suspects that there is something up. Draco Malfoy didn't go to Hogwarts last year and the Headmaster is worried."  
  
"Maybe he transferred to Durmstrang?"  
  
"No, the Malfoys would need his school papers and stuff. But the Malfoy boy just disappeared without a trace. No, something is wrong. I agree with Dumbledore on this one."  
  
"Has there been any word from Lucius?"  
  
"No. Not since You-Know-Who's return. I have heard that Narcissa Malfoy has been seen more but that is just rumors."  
  
"Rumors like Draco's death?"  
  
"Yes more rumors."  
  
"Will the Ministry of Magic check things out? That is horrible if it were true, the poor Malfoy boy."  
  
"Molly your heart is too big, the Malfoy's have been nothing but trouble for us and their kid has been nothing but trouble for our kids."  
  
"No matter what the boy has been, he must have a reason to act the way he did. And if these rumors are true, then maybe they are just more evidence that the boy had a less than stellar life at home."  
  
Those words rang in Harry's ears. * And if these rumors are true, then maybe they are just more evidence that the boy had a less than stellar life at home...*  
  
The conversation he had had earlier with Ron came rushing back to him.  
  
* "I'm sure a wizard can hurt their kids just as much as any muggle could. I know that. Slytherins seem like some could come from those type of families."  
  
"You mean like Malfoy?"*  
  
Harry stood from his crouching position and continued down the stairs. He made sure that he made noise so that he didn't surprise Mr. And Mrs. Weasley when he entered the kitchen.  
  
"Harry!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed as he sat down at the table. "Are you hungry for any food?"  
  
He nodded slightly and watched Ron's mother scurry about the kitchen to get plates out for him. She was just setting down a plate of eggs and sausages when Ron, Seamus, and Dean came into the room. Dean looked wide-awake and hungry while Seamus and Ron looked barely awake and groggy.  
  
"You look happy," Harry states to Ron as he took a seat next to him.  
  
Ron grimaced and took a bite from Harry's eggs. "Well, Mister Bright-bloody-sunshine over there woke us up by throwing open the curtains and that bloody light wouldn't stop shining and wouldn't let me back to sleep." He tossed a glare at Dean who was helping himself to a plate of eggs from Mrs. Weasley.  
  
"Well," Harry grinned ironically, pushing any thoughts of Malfoy to the back of his mind, "it IS going to be a sunny day..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Draco pressed his face to the closed and shuttered window, as close as he possible could press it. He could vaguely feel warmth, meaning that there was sunlight out there. It was going to be a nice and hot day out in the real world.  
  
That was what Draco had taken to calling the outside world, it was the real world. Because everything inside the dark prison wasn't real, this was not his new home. All this darkness. This was not real. It was an imaginary world, a creation of Narcissa.  
  
Pulling away from the window, he made his over to the bed. He sat on the edge of the high poster bed and waited. He knew what was going to happen. It was about time for her visit.  
  
Just on cue, Narcissa could be heard unlocking the door. And just as he did with every visit, Draco peered over her shoulder into the brightly lit hallway that seemed miles away. Just one of these times he wished for the courage to push his mother down and break for the world beyond. But he could never find that courage. It always evaded him.  
  
"How's my little dragon?" his mother crooned as she locked the door behind her and set the key on the large dusty wardrobe. Draco couldn't help but eye the key hungrily like it was the last drop of water in a desert.   
  
"He is tired." He answered numbly.  
  
"Why are you tired honey?" she asked and joined him on the bed,  
  
He shrugged disheartedly, "Maybe because he is tired of the dark."  
  
"My little dragon in the dark," Narcissa sang under her breath. She reached out a soft hand and stroked her son's head and began to sing softly.  
  
"Locked away from the world,  
Away from the danger   
Away from the pain,  
My dragon sits waiting,  
For the day that he is free...  
  
My dragon in the dark,  
I know it is hard,  
I know about your pain  
I'm just saving you,  
I want you to know that  
  
When the stars have fallen,   
And the dark will be lifted,  
My dragon will be gone  
To a world of plenty  
And of love....  
  
So please don't have fears  
Please do not cry,  
I'm saving you my dragon.  
So banish your tears  
My dragon.....  
In the dark...."  
  
Narcissa's voice faded as she held Draco closer to her. His head rested in her lap, tears coursed silently down his face. His mother had a beautiful speaking voice but she became veela like when she sang. All his misgivings about her seemed to vanish at her song. Maybe she was right.  
  
Maybe she WAS saving him.  
  
But from what? What was after him that forced him into the horrible attic?  
  
Narcissa held him tighter as the tears came faster. She crooned to him softly, not making any real sense but her voice calming him just the same.  
  
They sat like that for a while, Narcissa rocking Draco as his tears began to dry. He was half asleep in her lap, his nose clogged from his crying spell.  
  
"Honey, do you remember what your father said?" she asked, her voice disrupting the very spell that it had placed on him.  
  
He turned so that he could look up her from her lap. "What?"  
  
"Malfoys don't cry. Now wipe your tears away. Your confinement will not be for much longer. Soon, my dragon, you will be let out of here. I am positive that you will be attending your sixth year at Hogwarts."  
  
"Really? Mom are you sure?"  
  
"Yes, now there will be only a few more dark days and nights. But remember, dark days bleed way for lighter mornings." 


	5. To Wither Without Water

A/N: Sorry about the delay, I had other things that I was working on and I kinda forgot about this fic, but don't worry I am gonna to continue this. And if you want to, I have some original stories I am working on that you can read....please? I love reviews ^_^  
  
Disclaimers: Don't own anything. I poor.  
  
To Wither Without Water  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Harry pressed his forehead against the glass of the train's compartment window. The Howgwarts Express had left the station not to long ago. Around him Ron, Ginny, and Hermione were talking about the up coming year. Hermione was giving Ginny advice on the O.W.L.S. and Ron was trying to engage Harry in a conversation about Quidditch.   
  
"What do you think? Huh Harry?"  
  
Harry started when he realized that Ron was waiting for an answer from him. "Wha? What did you say Ron?"  
  
"I was asking you, Harry," Ron rolled his eyes, "if you think I had a chance this year of making the Gryffindor team."  
  
"Oh, of course you do." He answered but turned back to staring out the window. There was something bothering him but he could not for the life of him, figure out what it was.  
  
"'Oh, of course you do.' he says." Ron mumbled to himself. "No, he isn't listening to me as I talk to him." He continued on.  
  
"Uh huh," was all that he got out of Harry.  
  
Ron narrowed his eyes, "Ya know, 'Arry, I never noticed how much you love Malfoy!" he exclaimed, causing Hermione and Ginny to turn and look at him.  
  
But all Harry did was nod and answer with another "Oh, of course."   
  
Ron just stared.  
  
Something clicked in Harry's mind after that. "Malfoy!" he exclaimed, this time causing all of them to turn and look at Harry.  
  
Ron looked at him, completely confused. "Malfoy?"  
  
Harry nodded, "Malfoy."  
  
"Malfoy?"  
  
"Malfoy."  
  
"Malfoy??"  
  
"Malfoy!"  
  
"Will you two stop saying 'Malfoy'!" Hermione burst in. Ron and Harry turned to look at the bushy haired girl with sheepish expression on their faces.  
  
Hermione gave them both a stern look that could rival McGonagall's, "Now, Harry, can you please explain to us why you suddenly screamed 'Malfoy' for the whole train to hear?"  
  
Harry flushed, "Um, well I kept feeling like something was off this trip and I couldn't figure out what it was until I thought of Malfoy!"  
  
"why were you even thinking of Malfoy?" Ron grumbled.  
  
Hermione gave Ron an exasperated look and bade Harry to continue. Harry shrugged a bit, "Well I just realized that he hasn't stopped by to torment us this trip."  
  
"He must not be here again this year." Hermione pointed out.  
  
"I know but I think something is up." He looked at Ron, "Your parents seem to agree. Your dad said that Lucius has been to quiet for too long."  
  
Ron nodded absently, then he sat up straight. "Well!" he declared, "Lets make the most of it and enjoy a Malfoy-free year again! Last year was so refreshing!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Draco stood against the doorway waiting for the House Elf that would inevitably bring him his food. He had never seen one of them in the entire time that he had been confined and he was determined to catch the next one.  
  
He heard them, one was coming up now.  
  
He practically jumped out of his skin when he heard a squeaky voice from behind him. "Master Draco! Why is you here?"   
  
Draco spun on his heels and stared down at the elf. "He is, us, waiting for you."  
  
"I bring Master food!" the elf proudly held out a tray of food for him. But at the sight of all the fine food, Draco cringed and wrapped his arms around his thin frame.   
  
"Sorry, he isn't really hungry right now." Draco stared down at the elf.  
  
"He? But isn't Master, you?"  
  
"Uh.." Draco sometimes forgot and slipped into the third person talk when referring to himself, he talked like that to his mother but she obviously hadn't bothered to correct him. "What is your name?" he asked to change the topic.  
  
"Nini," the elf bowed as low as she could go.  
  
"Nini, do you think you can lead me out of here?" His eyes shined hopefully ash he stared down at Nini.  
  
"Nini knows the way. But Nini knows that she is not allowed to."  
  
Draco's hopes were crushed. "Why not?"  
  
"Mistress Malfoy has forbid me too."  
  
Draco's knees seemed to give out and he sank down to Nini's level. When he finally spoke, his voice was full of tears. "What about...about...What about my father?"  
  
Nini's tennis ball sized eyes widened in shock. "You means that you no know?"  
  
Fear gripped Draco's heart, "What do I no know?"  
  
Nini stared sorrowfully at Draco. "Master Draco, Master Malfoy is no longer with us. Master is dead." 


	6. Holidays

Holidays  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"It's over! Blessed days of Christmas break!" Ron collapsed in a chair in the common room.  
  
"You really should spend his time studying..." Hermione suggested quietly. Ron opened an eye and gave her a look.  
  
"Study?"  
  
"Yes study."  
  
"Nah..."  
  
Harry smiled at the small exchanged, but frowned as he returned his attention back to what he was writing. He was trying to compose his latest letter to Sirius. Too bad he didn't know what to write.  
  
"Dear Sirius,  
  
Things have been going normally here at Hogwarts. Well actually not really. Seeing as how normal usually means foiling a plan of Voldemort. But he seems to have fallen off the face of the earth. Nothing has happened. I don't know whether to be happy or worried. Kinda like the eye before the storm.  
  
Another thing has been bothering me lately. Have you heard or seen anything about the Malfoys? They, along with Voldemort, seem to have gone."  
  
So far that was all that he had written. He was still stuck on Malfoy's disappearance. Maybe something had happened to him.  
  
Ron's shout disrupted Harry's train of thoughts.  
  
"'Moine! I don't need to study!"  
  
"You're practically failing potions!"  
  
"So is like every Gryffindor!"  
  
"Why don't you ever try?"  
  
"Why can't you ever relax?  
  
"Why are you always an ass?!"  
  
"Why are you always a bitch?!"  
  
Hermione stared in shock of Ron's words. Ron, too, appeared shocked at what he had shouted. Tears filled Hermione's eyes as she gathered all her books and fled the common room. Dean and Seamus were pointedly not looking over at them and Lavender and Pravati followed Hermione up to the girl's dorms.  
  
Harry dropped his quill and stared at his best friend. "What just happened here?"  
  
Ron put his head in his hands. "I don't know. I don't know." He stood slowly and headed up to his dorm. "I'm just gonna lay down 'kay 'Arry?"  
  
Harry nodded and was immediately distracted by a tapping at a near by window. He opened it and an owl flew directly in.  
  
He quickly retrieved the letter that it held out to him and it flew off without waiting for anything. He looked down at the letter and didn't recognized the slightly messy scrawl.  
  
He began to read.  
  
"Potter,  
  
I don't have anyone else that I can send this one letter to you. I know that you are the goody type that probably would know what to do.  
  
I am trapped. Locked. Whatever the word it is, I am confined in my own house. The only way to send this letter was to guilt trip and beg a house-elf. I am desperate, Potter. My mother has locked me in this attic and I know nothing of what is going on.  
  
I know this one thing though.  
  
My father is dead. Now that may be a good thing for you, but I have a growing feeling that Lucius Malfoy was the wrong Malfoy to worry about.  
  
Please try and help me. I don't know anyone else I can turn to. Even though you hate me and I didn't like you much either, I know that inherently you are a good person.  
  
Please help.  
  
Draco Malfoy."  
  
Harry stared at the letter in disbelief. Malfoy locked away? Lucius dead? Wrong Malfoy? None of it made any true sense.  
  
But he knew one thing. It was time to see Dumbledore.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Draco laid on the on the high bed. His mother had come by earlier and he felt nauseous at the sight of the candy that she had offered him. As soon as she had left, he had practically forced the candies into Nini's hands in exchange for delivering that letter to Potter.  
  
He turned on his side and curled up.  
  
"Please, oh please," he whispered to himself. "Please let me have done the right thing."  
  
But no one could answer him. 


	7. Childlike

A/N: I am so sorry it took me so long. And I wish I would have time to respond to all of those nice reviews, Thank you so much guys! Well don't worry I have not given up on this story!  
  
Disclaimer: Read the first one.  
  
  
Childlike  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"So what do you think, Professor?" Harry sat staring at the wizened old wizard in front of him. Across the expanse of the wooden desk, Professor Dumbledore sat in deep thought. The twinkle in his eyes were dimmed at the news that Harry had brought him.  
  
"So young Malfoy is being held against his will? By his own mother. And Lucius Malfoy is supposedly dead? This is indeed grave news." Dumbledore tapped his long fingers on the sides of his desk in thought. "How can we help young Mister Malfoy?"  
  
Harry stared at the Headmaster, at a loss for any ideas. "Could we send someone in to get him?" He asked as a weak attempt.  
  
Dumbledore nodded slowly. "Perhaps." He turned to the fireplace and called through the roaring flames. "Severus? Could you please come to my office?"  
  
When Dumbledore turned back to Harry, he was met with Harry's dubious stare.  
  
"How is Professor Snape going to help?" he asked the Headmaster.  
  
"Patience Harry, Professor Snape knows the Malfoy family very well. He may be able to give us an insight on what is going through Narcissa Malfoy's head."  
  
The door to the office opened slowly and the dark, hooked nosed Potion Master stepped in. He saw Harry and his already sour expression darkened into a deeper one of loathing. "What is it, Headmaster, that you wanted to see me for?" he asked in an oily voice,  
  
Dumbledore gestured to a seat next to Harry. "Sit, Severus, sit. Young Harry here brings us some startling news."  
  
Snape shot Harry a death glare that could kill a healthy plant, "And what news does he bring?"  
  
Harry felt slightly annoyed at the conversation of him in third person. They were talking as if he wasn't there at all. The only indication that they acknowledged him was the horrible death glare that Snape so kindly bestowed upon him.  
  
Dumbledore finished explaining Draco's letter and let the news sink in. Snape stared at the Headmaster in slight shock. "What..what are we going to do about it? We can't leave him in that house. And Lucius dead? How can we not know that?"  
  
"Harry here suggested that we get someone to go into Malfoy Manor and sneak young Malfoy out." Dumbledore gave Harry a small smile.  
  
Snape gave Harry a large scowl. "I'm sure Potter was suggesting himself for the heroic deed?"  
  
Dumbledore shook his head. "No Severus, in fact that is why you are here. Not only do I know you know the Malfoy home the best, I know that you are very close to Draco. And perhaps you retrieving him would be the best choice."  
  
Harry watched Snape's response. A look of grime resignation was on the Potion Master's face. And for a moment, Harry was sure that the old grease ball would flat out refuse Dumbledore. But in the end, he nodded and stood.   
  
"I will be going immediately." Snape stated and strode quickly out of the room without waiting for a reply from either Harry or Dumbledore.  
  
Harry turned and looked at the Headmaster. The old wizard looked tired and concerned. "Something is up, Harry. Voldemort has been quiet for too long. And this news about Lucius is just more strange bits of information that has reached my ears. Something is brewing. Will you, Ron, and Hermione meet here on a week from Monday? I believe it is time for you to meet the Order. Now hurry back to your dorm."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Narcissa had left and Draco was alone again. Alone for the night. Nini had stopped bringing his meals and another male House Elf was doing her job. To pass some more of his time, he tried once again to study some of his books.  
  
But it was hard to do that when: One you don't have a wand. And two, you don't even have enough light to read by.  
  
But Draco insisted and was spending minutes, laying on the dusty old bed with a book propped up on his arm.  
  
"'The Solarius charm is the charm that enables one to generate sunlight in a room for as long as the caster wants the light there.' Hmm, that would one charm I wouldn't mind having right now. That or maybe Alohamora. Either one would be nice." Draco stated to himself as he read out loud to the dim room.  
  
Crrreaakkk.....  
  
Draco's hypersensitive ears perked up at the sound of a footstep on the attic stairs. He knew that his mother wouldn't be heading up here at that this time of night and all the House Elves were silent when they came up the stairs. This was a whole new person.  
  
Draco stared at the door knob of the attic door. Was there someone coming up here? His father? He knew that he couldn't be dead! He knew his mother had been lying!  
  
He heard a softly whispered spell and then the door slowly opened and Draco could feel his heart thumping loudly in his chest.  
  
The door opened to reveal Professor Snape. Draco stared in shock at the sight of his Potion Master standing on the other side of the attic door. He couldn't tell whether to be elated or disappointed.  
  
"Draco?" Snape whispered, trying to see in the dimly lighted room.  
  
Draco decided to be elated as he jumped off the bed and raced to Snape. "Professor Snape!" as he threw his arms around the startled teacher.  
  
"Draco," Snape cautioned as he awkwardly patted Draco's back. "You must be quiet. I am here to get you out of here."  
  
Draco pulled back and looked up at Snape and nodded. "Let me get all my things and we can go, right?" he asked eagerly.  
  
Snape nodded. Draco felt his teacher's eyes on him as he quickly gathered all his things. He felt slightly embarrassed as he realized how he must look to him.   
  
He was small.  
  
Weak.  
  
Thin.  
  
White.  
  
And still childlike.  
  
But as Snape helped him with all of his things and proceeded to help he out of his attic prison, he had to thoughts.  
  
One: he didn't care what Snape thought of how he looked.  
  
Two: Potter must have gotten his letter after all. 


	8. Porcelain

Porcelain  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Harry laid wide awake that night. After his quick visit to Dumbledore, he had returned to the Gryffindor Tower.  
  
Everyone had already been in bed and Harry had to sneak quietly in to where his bed was. But he was stopped mid-way by a voice.  
  
"Harry? Where have you've been?" Ron's voice. "You usually tell me when you are going to sneak out."  
  
"I was at Dumbledore's." Harry answered quietly as he found his bed in the dark.   
  
He could vaguely see Ron lean up on his elbow to peer at him through the dark. "Why? What did he want?"  
  
"We are going to have a meeting of the Order of the Phoenix." Harry laid down and stared up at the ceiling. "Remember Dumbledore told me, you, and Hermione about that last year?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Well we are going to meet them at the beginning of the week."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Silence.  
  
"Harry?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Hermione is really mad at me, isn't she?"  
  
"I would sort of think so."  
  
"But I'm mad at her as well!"  
  
"Exactly whyfor? All she did was ask you to study."  
  
"But it was the way she said it. Like I was impossible or something."  
  
"Well you sort of are."  
  
"Harry!"  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"What should I do?"  
  
"Well I believe that you should sleep on it and talk to her in the morning."  
  
"Good advice Harry." With that Harry heard Ron roll over and was soon breathing regularly.  
  
Harry laid awake long after that.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Harry was barely awake for breakfast the next morning. He was aware that Hermione and Ron were still not speaking to each other. But he was too tired to care. Mixing tired with a general sense of worry doesn't do well for one's morning breakfast. Harry glanced up in the direction of the teacher's table and looked for Snape.  
  
But both Snape and Dumbledore weren't present.  
  
"Harry?" Hermione's voice broke through his tired thoughts. "Your napkin is not edible."  
  
Harry jerked with the realization that he was chewing on his napkin instead of the pastry that was wrapped in it. "Wow," he comment. "I mist be out of it."  
  
Hermione smiled and went back to her food but not before she shot Ron a undefinable look. Harry sighed and had a feeling that they would be fighting longer that he had hoped.  
  
After spitting out the napkin and reaching for another pastry, he noticed an owl landing in front of his plate.  
  
"Early for post?" Ron asked.  
  
Harry nodded and reached for the parchment that the owl held. The note was small and precise.  
  
"Harry,   
  
Come and meet me and Professor Snape in my office immediately. The password is: Yellow Candied Wands. (That's a new product at Honeydukes)  
  
Dumbledore."  
  
Harry folded the note and stood quickly. "I'll see you guys in Charms, okay?"  
  
Hermione and Ron looked at him, confused. "What is it, Harry?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Yeah, what did the letter say?" Ron stared at him.  
  
"I have to go see Dumbledore."  
  
"Why?" Ron persisted.  
  
"It doesn't say." That wasn't the whole truth. True it didn't say why, but Harry was pretty sure why. Malfoy.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Draco sat swinging his legs back and forth in one of Dumbledore's great chairs. He was all alone waiting for the Headmaster and Snape, and presumably Potter. He always managed to show up for interesting occasions.  
  
Strange...his feet didn't reach the floor.  
  
He stretched out one leg as far as it could go in an attempt to touch the floor. No avail. He was too short.  
  
"Oh bugger..." he muttered under his breath. He dropped to a slouch and struck out with one of his legs again.  
  
A toe sort of touched the floor.  
  
"Still haven't received your growth spurt, Mr. Malfoy?" an oily voice spoke up.  
  
"Professor Snape!" Draco cried, whipping his head to the sound of his Potion Master. Snape stood slightly behind Dumbledore as they made their way into the Headmaster's office.  
  
"Young Malfoy," Dumbledore began. "It is a pleasure to see you finally again."  
  
Draco silently nodded. "Where's my father?"  
  
Snape exchanged looks with Dumbledore. "We do not know for sure. But the talking can wait. Mr. Potter is outside the door." 


End file.
